It happens to me every time I travel overseas. I talk with people who hear about where I’m going, and they always say the same thing: “That sounds amazing! I wish I could do that.” My reply is always the same: “What’s keeping you from it?”
I’m not being judgmental; I’m just trying to figure out what people’s motivations and priorities are. There really could be a good reason why someone doesn’t travel much, but the responses I hear back is usually variations of these answers:
“I don’t have money to travel.”
Fair enough if it’s true, but for many people who say this, it would be better to say, “I’ve chosen to spend money on a lot of other things, so now I don’t have money to travel.” America is a country of great wealth, and many of us living here throw things away every week that would be prized possessions to lots of other people. If that sounds a little soapbox to you, read this //New York Times// article. We choose what we value either consciously or unconsciously.
Many people, young and old, have no problem happily spending their money and even going into debt for luxuries each week. I’ve chosen to focus my own spending priorities on meaningful experiences.
One time someone told me that she couldn’t give to a charity event because she did not believe in going into debt, and that her husband believed that a pledge to give money was effectively a debt. I must have surprised the person making the comment, because I agreed and said that I also believe in living a completely debt-free lifestyle.
She nodded and said, “Yeah, we don’t have any debt either right now. Well, just the two cars… and the student loan… and the credit card… and of course, the mortgage doesn’t count.”
I was too shocked to say much of anything in response to that statement.
“The rest of the world is dangerous.”
Most people don’t come out and say it that way, but that’s what they mean. “If I leave home, something terrible will go wrong.” Aside from the fact that bad things can happen in your own country just as easily as anywhere else, there are very few places in the world that are outright hostile to visitors.
The more you travel, the more you realize you are at least as safe in many places around the world as you are at home. Sure, you probably shouldn’t plan a trip to Baghdad or Mogadishu right now, but the list of inhospitable places is really short. The list of amazing places is incredibly long, so get started. Intelligent people usually recognize this fear to be somewhat irrational, so as long as you don’t let it keep you home, it’s not worth fighting.
“I like staying at home.”
This is another way of saying, “I’m afraid of change and different experiences.” Before you write it off, understand that most of us feel this way at one time or another. It’s just something that needs to be overcome. A small group of people will be brave enough to do it, and the rest will stay home, never venturing out beyond their own culture of comfort. It’s their loss; don’t let it be yours.
I’ll do this kind of stuff when I retire (or at some other distant point in the future).
I see nothing wrong with the general concept of delayed gratification. I have an IRA, I look both ways when I cross the street, and it’s reasonable to give up something now in expectation of greater future benefit. What is dangerous, however, is when delayed gratification becomes an excuse for not living the life you want.
How many people do you know that actually do the things they say they are going to when they reach arbitrary ages of leaving the jobs they have given their lives to? Far more common is the downsizing of dreams along the way.
If you want to play golf all day and take your medication at regular intervals, the 40-year career track plan should work well for you. If you have other ideas or ambitions, though, don’t kill yourself as a slave for the future. Instead, go and figure out where you want to travel and do something about it. 4 Important Questions to Ask Yourself: 1) Am I satisfied with my work? Does it meet my needs and fulfill my desires?
Your work should not exist merely to provide income for the rest of your life. Ask yourself, what am I working for? Am I working to make a living or to make a life? If your work supports your goals, that’s great. If it doesn’t, maybe it’s time to make a change. 2) Think back to the times you have left your home country. What did you learn on those trips? Do you think you have more to learn?
For me, the more I have traveled, the more I learn, and the more I realize how big the world really is. When I was younger and had spent a fair amount of time abroad, I used to say that I had traveled “all over the world.” More than 60 countries later, I laugh at that idea. There are still many, many countries I have yet to visit, and even after I achieve my goal of visiting every country in the world, there will still be many places within those countries that I still won’t have experienced. 3) If you could go anywhere in the world, where would that be? (Don’t think about reasons why you can’t go there.)
Brainstorm through the six inhabited continents – Africa, Australia, Asia, Europe, North and South America – and think about cities or countries on each of them that you’ve always wondered about. Chances are there’s somewhere, and probably several places, that you’ve always wanted to see.
Finally, while I believe that international travel is not nearly as expensive as the lifestyle many people wear themselves out to maintain, it’s true that it does cost money to travel around the world.
Therefore, you should also understand the answer to this question: 4) What are your financial priorities?
If you don’t know the answer offhand, it’s easy to get it.Just look back at your bank statements, financial software, or credit card statements for the last six months. Whether you like it or not, where you’ve been spending a lot of money is where your priorities are. If you’d like to value experiences more than “stuff,” you may need to make some changes. *
In future essays, I’ll discuss exactly how you should go about pursuing the goal of world travel – or anything else you’ve always wanted to do, but haven’t known how to get started. I’ll also cover the following topics in detail:
*How to earn money without a job
*How to achieve great things for yourself while also making a difference in the lives of others
*How to align your values with your life, reducing stress and ensuring that you are doing the right things the right way
*How to change the world by rising above the norm of mediocrity
For now, the rest of the story is up to you. Think about the questions and make a plan. What’s that one place – or ten places – you’ve always wanted to go to?
Write it down and stick it to your monitor so you’ll continually be reminded of it. If you don’t take your own dreams seriously, who will?**
THOUGH I KNOW YOU WILL NOT BE ALONE ON THIS TRIP, ONE OF MY PURPOSES IF SPONSORING ANY TRAVEL IS TO ALLOW THE PARTICIPANTS TO EXPERIENCE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PERSONAL GROWTH. WITH THIS IN MIND I HAVE INCLUDED SEVERAL INTERNET FINDS FOR EVERYONE TO READ THROUGH, BECAUSE WHETHER YOU ARE A FIRST TIME TRAVELER OR YOU ARE TRAVELING ALONE I KNOW YOU WILL EXPERIENCE MANY OF THE SAME THINGS. ENJOY!
“Is that all your stuff?”
While embarking on my current 100+ day sojourn I’ve been asked that question almost daily. Most people take more stuff for a 3 day weekend break than I’ve taken on this long trip.
If you’ve struggled to pack what you need in a carry-on I will show you the light. It’s not difficult and you don’t have to do everything at once. Remember the old cliché, slow and steady wins the race. 1) The first step to minimalist travel is to use a smaller carry-on.
If you don’t have enough room to pack all your stuff you’ll be forced to eliminate the unnecessary.
Personally, I use a 32L backpack, the Deuter Futura 32. If you can’t grasp the small size of a 32 liter pack, it’s about the same volume as most school backpacks.
I also carry a small messenger bag just large enough to fit a paperback book, an iPod, a small bag of almonds, and my Asus Eee 1000HE, a 10″, 3 pound netbook PC.
I can actually fit all of my things in my backpack, but the messenger bag is great to take out while exploring during the day.
The biggest benefit of a backpack vs a rolling carry-on is a backpack is much easier to carry around.
2) No matter how long your trip, pack no more than 3 shirts in neutral colors so everything matches everything else.
This way you never have to think about what to wear. If your shirts, pants, and jacket always match you simply wear whatever is clean.
I have 2 black T shirts, 1 orange T shirt, and 1 pair of khaki colored convertible pants (which I obviously wear on the plane and everywhere else).
In case it gets cold, I also have a black long-sleeved shirt in addition to my black jacket.
As for shoes, 1 pair of black shoes to wear and 1 pair of flip flops (in my case, Vibram FiveFingers) to pack.
Dark colors are also better for visible cleanliness reasons. If you spill sauce on light colored clothing it stands out. Unfortunately I couldn’t find dark colored convertible pants that fit me (I’m 6′5″), so I had to settle on khaki. 3) Multi-use soap minimizes your liquids considerably.
Dr Bronner’s organic fair-trade liquid soap can be used to wash your body, shampoo your hair, brush your teeth, and clean your clothes. Buy it in large bottles and fill smaller 3 ounce airline-approved bottles to pack in your carry-on.
3 ounces of Dr Bronner’s soap lasts me about 4 weeks and yes, I use it for everything.
If Dr Bronner’s isn’t available in your area you have 2 options:
First, check out your local health food store and ask them if they carry organic vegetable based soap. This will be similar to Dr Bronner’s.
Second, every outdoor/camping store I’ve been to carries something called camper’s (or camping) soap. This soap is also a good alternative to Dr Bronner’s. 4) Wash clothes in the sink.
Limiting your clothing to just 3 T-shirts means you’ll have to do laundry every few days. Wash them in the bathroom sink (using Dr Bronner’s or similar soap) and hang them up to dry overnight with an elastic clothesline. A common elastic clothesline is the Rick Steves brand available on Amazon and at most outdoors stores.
Your clothes will be ready by morning. If anything is still slightly damp in the morning wear it anyway as it will dry quickly. Read more: Washyour clothes in a bag like I do. 5) If worst comes to worst, buy it.
Pack the bare minimum, but be prepared to buy what you need if you forget or can’t pack something. Unless you’re heading to the middle of nowhere, you will be able to find whatever it is you’re looking for.
Travel is supposed to be fun. If you’re bogged down with luggage it can be a real drag. Who likes lugging suitcases up stairs, escalators, elevators, and around town?
Packing light makes travel simple, so you can focus on having a good time, and not on how you’re going to avoid paying airline checked baggage fees. :)
To travel alone is to find the answers you’ve been seeking and discover the questions to all your unfounded thoughts.
Photo by Galyna Andrushko Find yourself in solitude. Everybody hears this time and time again.
From the punishment of youth when sent on “timeout” to the isolation every individual needs in order to hibernate with one’s emotions. Even through days of work, locking the mind and body behind concealed doors in order to cram a semester’s final paper or spurn a creative project.
Isolation, solitude, being alone-these words derive a connotation of growth and progress. They emphasize a deeper understanding not only of one’s surroundings, but also of the most significant and empowering quality-finding oneself within the present moment.
Who are you, I dare ask? Where are you? What are you doing, exactly? Why?
To find out I’ve a suggestion: quit work, take a leave of absence from work or school, and buy that one-way ticket to nowhere.
To travel alone is to find the answers you’ve been seeking and discover the questions to all your unfounded thoughts. It is your world. It is your adventure.
1. Responsibility
To take one’s life within one’s hands and have the freedom and maturity to mold it to one’s desires is to embrace this basic knowledge.
The one thing carrying the most weight, the quality of personality that enabled you-the solo traveler-to get here in the first place, is responsibility.
To take one’s life within one’s hands and have the freedom and maturity to mold it into shapes, forms and experiences of one’s desires is to embrace this basic knowledge. On the actual day we take responsibility for ourselves, our lives begin to change.
We witness how we are responsible for everything we do-each thought, word, action and emotion. This acceptance of our own responsibility for the life we lead provides us with the power to change. We become the artists of our lives.
In the words of Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller, “Why should I deem myself to be a chisel when I could be the artist?”
2. Self-reliance
After the hurdle of self-responsibility there evolves a new respect and a new dimension toward living. Self-reliance is the response.
See it as the art of flotation after leaping into the air and clearing the hurdle of responsibility. It’s the sense of lightness and contentment. It’s a joy of accomplishment surpassing those worldly possessions left behind. “I am Lion! This is my Life! Hear me roar!”
3. Independence
Welcome to independence as you come down after the initial high and hit the ground running. You are now shaved of everything but your Self.
You are living your independence. No longer do you require anything other than yourself for happiness. No longer do you search for those outside fulfillments.
From the start, you were already alone. You were most likely in mother’s womb alone. And now you’re traveling, embracing this solitude, allowing you and only you to make all your decisions; what to eat, where to sleep, which train to catch and at what bus stop to depart.
You are the captain in your very own captain’s chair. Want to sleep in the middle of the day, read on a bench the rest of the afternoon, take long midnight strolls out under the stars? Fine. Do it, because no one is stopping you except your hesitation.
4. Likes & Dislikes
Traveling alone affords the individual solitude in order to step out of society’s role-playing games.
Now through these various layers of your evolution of mental, physical, emotional and spiritual growth-the solo-wanderer comes to terms with likes and dislikes.
Traveling alone affords the individual solitude in order to step out of society’s role-playing games. It absolves all expectations of you. You don’t have to listen to anyone. You don’t have to meet anyone’s needs. You have no schedules, appointments, meetings or deadlines with projects, papers, exams, etc.
It’s just you. And through the sifter of the mind you begin to remember who you are, remember which elements and ingredients in life you enjoyed the most and those you enjoyed the least. Then, without hesitation (you must drop this), you leap upon the likes and forever discard the dislikes.
5. Emotions
Emotions are a combination of mind and body sending you messages. They tell you where you are on a physical and emotional level. They inform you where you need to be-again, physically and mentally-in order to be healthy and whole.
With a continued awareness of what turns you on and off, emotions arise. They are not your friend’s emotions, your roommate’s, or your lover’s no matter how you might wish otherwise. Those persons aren’t here. You’re alone.
Emotions are the parts to your totality-the inner psyche-and in seclusion may one best decipher their keys sounded from the past.
The solo-artist may come to terms with the depth of Ralph Waldo Emerson when he said, “None of us will ever accomplish anything excellent or commanding except when he listens to this whisper which is heard by him alone.”
6. Patterns & Reactions
Photo by Cam Karsten
Stepping out of our routines and daily lives clears the traveler’s vision. So often we live in the past or future. We do not stop to see and be the present moment-our present moment.
Indeed, it’s a gift, and to let this gift slide away over and over again is to miss the beauty of the day, the hour, of the minute and its seconds. They will never come again.
Patterns and our reactions to these patterns are what prevent us from living and taking part in the beauty we are gifted. By frolicking in the unknown we’re able to witness these patterns from afar and see how we react to them.
With a continued awareness we can prevent ourselves from falling into old habits and bygone ways. Each new day is our rebirth and each new breath can be as if we are inhaling for the very first time.
7. Past Analyzation
You’re soaking in the Andaman Sea off Thailand’s western shore. You see a woman walking the beach who reminds you of an old lover, a past friend, someone against whom you’ve carried a grudge for too long.
You’re alone. You have that isolation to observe your thoughts. Therefore, you reach deep into the past and sift through the relationship’s components.
These moments of past analyzation allow one to heal sore spots, to lick old wounds and overcome the pain still carrying into today, whether exhibited upon themselves or others.
Through this process of self-healing, the solo-sojourner may reunite with another and develop a more mature relationship; one more natural and unconditionally loving for the benefit of both parties, which includes the surrounding environs.
Past analyzation while traveling alone affords the adventurer a journey into the past to reclaim forgotten lessons and repressed emotions.
8. Future Dreams
The future is your dreams’ playground. It is imagination free of any construct built by the past and not portrayed by the present.
Next we leap out of the past, through the flicker of the present and into the vastness of the future. Here, unfettered possibility rests. The future is boundless. It is borderless.
It is imagination free of any construct built by the past and not portrayed by the present. The future is your dreams’ playground.
During travel, see the future as everything and nothing. It’s your empty canvas, and there’s no better time to wallow in hopes, dreams and possibilities. So extract your journal and write, draw, scribble and dabble the imaginary creating anything the heart desires, no matter how selfish or selfless.
It’s the Law of Attraction – all that is necessary in life is asking, believing and then receiving with gratitude.
9. Care for Oneself
The above eight steps are not concrete. They are not rules or dictations. They are mere ideas thrown out into a world of utter possibility and endless variety.
In essence however, they are the steps of an evolutionary journey, which can be taken at anytime, anywhere, by anyone. Yet a personal journey is best undergone in the silence of one’s own presence, and traveling alone promotes this introspection with ease.
Solo travel teaches the pilgrim to care for their own self – because it’s only when one masters self-care that the individual will be able to advance. Only when peace is established at home will one be able to spread peace throughout the world.
10. How to Love
The finale is love itself. Love is the master. When living with love, all thought, word, action and emotion radiate from this core of our being-that being love.
Through solo-travel, and through the varying evolutionary processes of the pilgrim’s own psyche, he/she rides the expressway into the heart and splashes in an indescribable feeling of love and peace.
And from the words of one final sage upon the doorsteps of this last stage of personal growth spoken by Joseph Campbell, “You are that mystery which you are seeking to know.”
You are the love you first sought, whether conscious of it or not. Your personal journey, either in this lifetime or another in the future, will bring you to this center within yourself. Traveling alone upon a solo-quest is the perfect catalyst for this grand voyage given to the human being as a birthright.
So go find yourself in solitude where the inner landscapes of personality become most audible within a world of possibility.
Traveling is unarguably one of the most gratifying experiences a person can have in their lifetime. Traveling awakens the soul, stirs the senses and paints the world in a new light. It may seem like a pastime for only a certain kind of person, but in all actuality, anyone and everyone can and should travel.
In my opinion, it's better to travel sooner than later in life for a few very key reasons:
Traveling can help you figure out what you want to do with your life: Exposing yourself to new places, people and cultures can awaken your sense of purpose. Learning about what's out there in the world can help you determine what feels like you - and what doesn't.
It's also especially useful in helping people realize that there's no one way to live a lifetime. Every culture is different and so is every person within those cultures. If you wait till later in life, you run the risk of realizing your potential too late. Don't let opportunity pass you by; explore the world while you're young.
It promotes independence (and hones survival skills):Catching flights, keeping track of passports and navigating foreign-speaking cities, can force you to think on your feet and make decisions quickly. Being away from your comfort zone really pushes a person to think independently.
It eliminates resentment later in life: How often do you hear someone much older than you comment on how they should have done something when they were younger? No one wants to be sitting in a rocking chair at age 80, wishing that they had taken that trip when they had the chance. Don't let someone or something stop you from traveling. A chance to experience the world now is greater than any excuse you can come up with for not going. It's worth it and you'll be glad you have those memories later in life, trust me!
It makes you a more interesting person: Nothing sucks more than talking to a person who has absolutely nothing to say. Traveling can create amazing memories and it serves as a great conversation starter. You'd be surprised how many times travel comes up in conversation, whether it be at a party or at the office. Think of how great it would be if you can jump in next time and compare experiences. Whether you are talking about your recent safari in Africa or that time you swam with dolphins in the Caribbean, it makes you seem knowledgeable and worldly which, let's face it, is totally hot.
You work hard and deserve it: Life can be crazy these days. With the overload of gadgets, work hours and social networking demands, it's no wonder we haven't broken down as a nation, cracking from all the pressure. Today's youth works harder than ever to achieve more than ever, and there's no better way to reward ourselves and take time out than with a good old vacation.
Remember, all that hard work is done in vain if there isn't an equal dose of play to go with it. You don't want to look back in 15 years and realize you wasted you're younger years doing nothing but work, right? So save that hard earned cash and go somewhere you've only dared to dream about- today. Turn fantasy into reality and give yourself a pat on the back. You deserve it!
I'm sure that one of the main reasons that a young adult would refrain from traveling is lack of funds or overwhelming feelings of not knowing where to start. Traveling doesn't have to be expensive or overwhelming for you to have a great time. There are some affordable deals out there for just about every trip you can imagine; it's all about timing and planning.
1. Break out of your shell
Foremost on the reasons to travel is that you discover a lot about yourself. Now I'm not talking about taking a family trip to Disney World. When I speak of a special vacation, I envision someone backpacking across Europe or driving along the coast of Australia -- that is, a trip with cultural significance. Not many things in the world can inspire you like seeing the Colosseum in Rome or the Pyramids in Egypt.
That is why traveling is known to provide people with a whole new perspective, whether that means no longer sweating the small stuff or promising to get out there and meet new people upon returning home. Those who have left their comfort zone and headed for a foreign land have done the right thing; there is nothing like a trip to make you a new man who has no choice but to fend for himself. Whether alone, with a partner, or in a group, your development surely speeds up when you're abroad.
2. Embrace new cultures
Not only does traveling provide a sense of adventure, but it also opens doors to cultures that do not revolve around MTV and McDonald's (or at least try hard not to). Though Americana has spread its wings on an international level, even a week abroad can serve to prove that people do live without the symbols that North Americans encounter every day.
Better yet, you will become appreciative of other cultures; instead of instinctively criticizing that which is "different," you will be motivated to accept new cuisine or alternative forms of entertainment. You never know; upon your return home, you might even forego the latest Vin Diesel blockbuster for a Bollywood flick.
3. Enjoy life like never before
Even for those of you who are not as culturally minded, traveling remains an appealing form of escape. In the dead of winter, with a foot of snow awaiting you outside your front door, what could be more tantalizing than a swim in the deep blue waters of Jamaica? Simply the attraction of the activities that are impossible to enjoy in your hometown make a trip worthwhile.
Experiences can range from the legendary (watching the running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain) to the relaxing (enjoying a hot spring while snow swirls around you in Iceland), but they share one common link: they are all memorable. In every corner of the world, there is excitement waiting for you -- it is simply a matter of sticking your head out and going for it.
Why You Should Quit Your Job and Travel around the World (Just a thought not a requirement)
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It happens to me every time I travel overseas. I talk with people who hear about where I’m going, and they always say the same thing: “That sounds amazing! I wish I could do that.”
My reply is always the same: “What’s keeping you from it?”
I’m not being judgmental; I’m just trying to figure out what people’s motivations and priorities are. There really could be a good reason why someone doesn’t travel much, but the responses I hear back is usually variations of these answers:
- “I don’t have money to travel.”
Fair enough if it’s true, but for many people who say this, it would be better to say, “I’ve chosen to spend money on a lot of other things, so now I don’t have money to travel.” America is a country of great wealth, and many of us living here throw things away every week that would be prized possessions to lots of other people. If that sounds a little soapbox to you, read this //New York Times// article.We choose what we value either consciously or unconsciously.
Many people, young and old, have no problem happily spending their money and even going into debt for luxuries each week. I’ve chosen to focus my own spending priorities on meaningful experiences.
One time someone told me that she couldn’t give to a charity event because she did not believe in going into debt, and that her husband believed that a pledge to give money was effectively a debt. I must have surprised the person making the comment, because I agreed and said that I also believe in living a completely debt-free lifestyle.
She nodded and said, “Yeah, we don’t have any debt either right now. Well, just the two cars… and the student loan… and the credit card… and of course, the mortgage doesn’t count.”
I was too shocked to say much of anything in response to that statement.
- “The rest of the world is dangerous.”
Most people don’t come out and say it that way, but that’s what they mean. “If I leave home, something terrible will go wrong.” Aside from the fact that bad things can happen in your own country just as easily as anywhere else, there are very few places in the world that are outright hostile to visitors.The more you travel, the more you realize you are at least as safe in many places around the world as you are at home. Sure, you probably shouldn’t plan a trip to Baghdad or Mogadishu right now, but the list of inhospitable places is really short. The list of amazing places is incredibly long, so get started. Intelligent people usually recognize this fear to be somewhat irrational, so as long as you don’t let it keep you home, it’s not worth fighting.
- “I like staying at home.”
This is another way of saying, “I’m afraid of change and different experiences.” Before you write it off, understand that most of us feel this way at one time or another. It’s just something that needs to be overcome. A small group of people will be brave enough to do it, and the rest will stay home, never venturing out beyond their own culture of comfort. It’s their loss; don’t let it be yours.- I’ll do this kind of stuff when I retire (or at some other distant point in the future).
I see nothing wrong with the general concept of delayed gratification. I have an IRA, I look both ways when I cross the street, and it’s reasonable to give up something now in expectation of greater future benefit.What is dangerous, however, is when delayed gratification becomes an excuse for not living the life you want.
How many people do you know that actually do the things they say they are going to when they reach arbitrary ages of leaving the jobs they have given their lives to? Far more common is the downsizing of dreams along the way.
If you want to play golf all day and take your medication at regular intervals, the 40-year career track plan should work well for you. If you have other ideas or ambitions, though, don’t kill yourself as a slave for the future. Instead, go and figure out where you want to travel and do something about it.
4 Important Questions to Ask Yourself:
1) Am I satisfied with my work? Does it meet my needs and fulfill my desires?
Your work should not exist merely to provide income for the rest of your life. Ask yourself, what am I working for? Am I working to make a living or to make a life? If your work supports your goals, that’s great. If it doesn’t, maybe it’s time to make a change.
2) Think back to the times you have left your home country. What did you learn on those trips? Do you think you have more to learn?
For me, the more I have traveled, the more I learn, and the more I realize how big the world really is. When I was younger and had spent a fair amount of time abroad, I used to say that I had traveled “all over the world.” More than 60 countries later, I laugh at that idea. There are still many, many countries I have yet to visit, and even after I achieve my goal of visiting every country in the world, there will still be many places within those countries that I still won’t have experienced.
3) If you could go anywhere in the world, where would that be? (Don’t think about reasons why you can’t go there.)
Brainstorm through the six inhabited continents – Africa, Australia, Asia, Europe, North and South America – and think about cities or countries on each of them that you’ve always wondered about. Chances are there’s somewhere, and probably several places, that you’ve always wanted to see.
Finally, while I believe that international travel is not nearly as expensive as the lifestyle many people wear themselves out to maintain, it’s true that it does cost money to travel around the world.
Therefore, you should also understand the answer to this question:
4) What are your financial priorities?
If you don’t know the answer offhand, it’s easy to get it.Just look back at your bank statements, financial software, or credit card statements for the last six months. Whether you like it or not, where you’ve been spending a lot of money is where your priorities are. If you’d like to value experiences more than “stuff,” you may need to make some changes.
*
In future essays, I’ll discuss exactly how you should go about pursuing the goal of world travel – or anything else you’ve always wanted to do, but haven’t known how to get started. I’ll also cover the following topics in detail:
*How to earn money without a job
*How to achieve great things for yourself while also making a difference in the lives of others
*How to align your values with your life, reducing stress and ensuring that you are doing the right things the right way
*How to change the world by rising above the norm of mediocrity
For now, the rest of the story is up to you. Think about the questions and make a plan. What’s that one place – or ten places – you’ve always wanted to go to?
Write it down and stick it to your monitor so you’ll continually be reminded of it.
If you don’t take your own dreams seriously, who will?**
THOUGH I KNOW YOU WILL NOT BE ALONE ON THIS TRIP, ONE OF MY PURPOSES IF SPONSORING ANY TRAVEL IS TO ALLOW THE PARTICIPANTS TO EXPERIENCE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PERSONAL GROWTH. WITH THIS IN MIND I HAVE INCLUDED SEVERAL INTERNET FINDS FOR EVERYONE TO READ THROUGH, BECAUSE WHETHER YOU ARE A FIRST TIME TRAVELER OR YOU ARE TRAVELING ALONE I KNOW YOU WILL EXPERIENCE MANY OF THE SAME THINGS. ENJOY!
The Beginner’s Guide To Minimalist Travel
Travel light, be happy.
Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Karol Gajda of Ridiculously Extraordinary.
“Is that all your stuff?”While embarking on my current 100+ day sojourn I’ve been asked that question almost daily. Most people take more stuff for a 3 day weekend break than I’ve taken on this long trip.
If you’ve struggled to pack what you need in a carry-on I will show you the light. It’s not difficult and you don’t have to do everything at once. Remember the old cliché, slow and steady wins the race.
1) The first step to minimalist travel is to use a smaller carry-on.
If you don’t have enough room to pack all your stuff you’ll be forced to eliminate the unnecessary.
Personally, I use a 32L backpack, the Deuter Futura 32. If you can’t grasp the small size of a 32 liter pack, it’s about the same volume as most school backpacks.
I also carry a small messenger bag just large enough to fit a paperback book, an iPod, a small bag of almonds, and my Asus Eee 1000HE, a 10″, 3 pound netbook PC.
I can actually fit all of my things in my backpack, but the messenger bag is great to take out while exploring during the day.
The biggest benefit of a backpack vs a rolling carry-on is a backpack is much easier to carry around.
2) No matter how long your trip, pack no more than 3 shirts in neutral colors so everything matches everything else.
This way you never have to think about what to wear. If your shirts, pants, and jacket always match you simply wear whatever is clean.
I have 2 black T shirts, 1 orange T shirt, and 1 pair of khaki colored convertible pants (which I obviously wear on the plane and everywhere else).
In case it gets cold, I also have a black long-sleeved shirt in addition to my black jacket.
As for shoes, 1 pair of black shoes to wear and 1 pair of flip flops (in my case, Vibram FiveFingers) to pack.
Dark colors are also better for visible cleanliness reasons. If you spill sauce on light colored clothing it stands out. Unfortunately I couldn’t find dark colored convertible pants that fit me (I’m 6′5″), so I had to settle on khaki.
3) Multi-use soap minimizes your liquids considerably.
Dr Bronner’s organic fair-trade liquid soap can be used to wash your body, shampoo your hair, brush your teeth, and clean your clothes. Buy it in large bottles and fill smaller 3 ounce airline-approved bottles to pack in your carry-on.
3 ounces of Dr Bronner’s soap lasts me about 4 weeks and yes, I use it for everything.
If Dr Bronner’s isn’t available in your area you have 2 options:
First, check out your local health food store and ask them if they carry organic vegetable based soap. This will be similar to Dr Bronner’s.
Second, every outdoor/camping store I’ve been to carries something called camper’s (or camping) soap. This soap is also a good alternative to Dr Bronner’s.
4) Wash clothes in the sink.
Limiting your clothing to just 3 T-shirts means you’ll have to do laundry every few days. Wash them in the bathroom sink (using Dr Bronner’s or similar soap) and hang them up to dry overnight with an elastic clothesline. A common elastic clothesline is the Rick Steves brand available on Amazon and at most outdoors stores.
Your clothes will be ready by morning. If anything is still slightly damp in the morning wear it anyway as it will dry quickly. Read more: Washyour clothes in a bag like I do.
5) If worst comes to worst, buy it.
Pack the bare minimum, but be prepared to buy what you need if you forget or can’t pack something. Unless you’re heading to the middle of nowhere, you will be able to find whatever it is you’re looking for.
Travel is supposed to be fun. If you’re bogged down with luggage it can be a real drag. Who likes lugging suitcases up stairs, escalators, elevators, and around town?
Packing light makes travel simple, so you can focus on having a good time, and not on how you’re going to avoid paying airline checked baggage fees. :)
10 Things To Learn About Yourself When Traveling Alone
To travel alone is to find the answers you’ve been seeking and discover the questions to all your unfounded thoughts.Photo by Galyna Andrushko
Find yourself in solitude. Everybody hears this time and time again.
From the punishment of youth when sent on “timeout” to the isolation every individual needs in order to hibernate with one’s emotions. Even through days of work, locking the mind and body behind concealed doors in order to cram a semester’s final paper or spurn a creative project.
Isolation, solitude, being alone-these words derive a connotation of growth and progress. They emphasize a deeper understanding not only of one’s surroundings, but also of the most significant and empowering quality-finding oneself within the present moment.
Who are you, I dare ask? Where are you? What are you doing, exactly? Why?
To find out I’ve a suggestion: quit work, take a leave of absence from work or school, and buy that one-way ticket to nowhere.
To travel alone is to find the answers you’ve been seeking and discover the questions to all your unfounded thoughts. It is your world. It is your adventure.
1. Responsibility
To take one’s life within one’s hands and have the freedom and maturity to mold it to one’s desires is to embrace this basic knowledge.The one thing carrying the most weight, the quality of personality that enabled you-the solo traveler-to get here in the first place, is responsibility.
To take one’s life within one’s hands and have the freedom and maturity to mold it into shapes, forms and experiences of one’s desires is to embrace this basic knowledge. On the actual day we take responsibility for ourselves, our lives begin to change.
We witness how we are responsible for everything we do-each thought, word, action and emotion. This acceptance of our own responsibility for the life we lead provides us with the power to change. We become the artists of our lives.
In the words of Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller, “Why should I deem myself to be a chisel when I could be the artist?”
2. Self-reliance
After the hurdle of self-responsibility there evolves a new respect and a new dimension toward living. Self-reliance is the response.See it as the art of flotation after leaping into the air and clearing the hurdle of responsibility. It’s the sense of lightness and contentment. It’s a joy of accomplishment surpassing those worldly possessions left behind. “I am Lion! This is my Life! Hear me roar!”
3. Independence
Welcome to independence as you come down after the initial high and hit the ground running. You are now shaved of everything but your Self.You are living your independence. No longer do you require anything other than yourself for happiness. No longer do you search for those outside fulfillments.
From the start, you were already alone. You were most likely in mother’s womb alone. And now you’re traveling, embracing this solitude, allowing you and only you to make all your decisions; what to eat, where to sleep, which train to catch and at what bus stop to depart.
You are the captain in your very own captain’s chair. Want to sleep in the middle of the day, read on a bench the rest of the afternoon, take long midnight strolls out under the stars? Fine. Do it, because no one is stopping you except your hesitation.
4. Likes & Dislikes
Traveling alone affords the individual solitude in order to step out of society’s role-playing games.Now through these various layers of your evolution of mental, physical, emotional and spiritual growth-the solo-wanderer comes to terms with likes and dislikes.
Traveling alone affords the individual solitude in order to step out of society’s role-playing games. It absolves all expectations of you. You don’t have to listen to anyone. You don’t have to meet anyone’s needs. You have no schedules, appointments, meetings or deadlines with projects, papers, exams, etc.
It’s just you. And through the sifter of the mind you begin to remember who you are, remember which elements and ingredients in life you enjoyed the most and those you enjoyed the least. Then, without hesitation (you must drop this), you leap upon the likes and forever discard the dislikes.
5. Emotions
Emotions are a combination of mind and body sending you messages. They tell you where you are on a physical and emotional level. They inform you where you need to be-again, physically and mentally-in order to be healthy and whole.With a continued awareness of what turns you on and off, emotions arise. They are not your friend’s emotions, your roommate’s, or your lover’s no matter how you might wish otherwise. Those persons aren’t here. You’re alone.
Emotions are the parts to your totality-the inner psyche-and in seclusion may one best decipher their keys sounded from the past.
The solo-artist may come to terms with the depth of Ralph Waldo Emerson when he said, “None of us will ever accomplish anything excellent or commanding except when he listens to this whisper which is heard by him alone.”
6. Patterns & Reactions
Photo by Cam Karsten
Stepping out of our routines and daily lives clears the traveler’s vision. So often we live in the past or future. We do not stop to see and be the present moment-our present moment.
Indeed, it’s a gift, and to let this gift slide away over and over again is to miss the beauty of the day, the hour, of the minute and its seconds. They will never come again.
Patterns and our reactions to these patterns are what prevent us from living and taking part in the beauty we are gifted. By frolicking in the unknown we’re able to witness these patterns from afar and see how we react to them.
With a continued awareness we can prevent ourselves from falling into old habits and bygone ways. Each new day is our rebirth and each new breath can be as if we are inhaling for the very first time.
7. Past Analyzation
You’re soaking in the Andaman Sea off Thailand’s western shore. You see a woman walking the beach who reminds you of an old lover, a past friend, someone against whom you’ve carried a grudge for too long.You’re alone. You have that isolation to observe your thoughts. Therefore, you reach deep into the past and sift through the relationship’s components.
These moments of past analyzation allow one to heal sore spots, to lick old wounds and overcome the pain still carrying into today, whether exhibited upon themselves or others.
Through this process of self-healing, the solo-sojourner may reunite with another and develop a more mature relationship; one more natural and unconditionally loving for the benefit of both parties, which includes the surrounding environs.
Past analyzation while traveling alone affords the adventurer a journey into the past to reclaim forgotten lessons and repressed emotions.
8. Future Dreams
The future is your dreams’ playground. It is imagination free of any construct built by the past and not portrayed by the present.Next we leap out of the past, through the flicker of the present and into the vastness of the future. Here, unfettered possibility rests. The future is boundless. It is borderless.
It is imagination free of any construct built by the past and not portrayed by the present. The future is your dreams’ playground.
During travel, see the future as everything and nothing. It’s your empty canvas, and there’s no better time to wallow in hopes, dreams and possibilities. So extract your journal and write, draw, scribble and dabble the imaginary creating anything the heart desires, no matter how selfish or selfless.
It’s the Law of Attraction – all that is necessary in life is asking, believing and then receiving with gratitude.
9. Care for Oneself
The above eight steps are not concrete. They are not rules or dictations. They are mere ideas thrown out into a world of utter possibility and endless variety.In essence however, they are the steps of an evolutionary journey, which can be taken at anytime, anywhere, by anyone. Yet a personal journey is best undergone in the silence of one’s own presence, and traveling alone promotes this introspection with ease.
Solo travel teaches the pilgrim to care for their own self – because it’s only when one masters self-care that the individual will be able to advance. Only when peace is established at home will one be able to spread peace throughout the world.
10. How to Love
The finale is love itself. Love is the master. When living with love, all thought, word, action and emotion radiate from this core of our being-that being love.Through solo-travel, and through the varying evolutionary processes of the pilgrim’s own psyche, he/she rides the expressway into the heart and splashes in an indescribable feeling of love and peace.
And from the words of one final sage upon the doorsteps of this last stage of personal growth spoken by Joseph Campbell, “You are that mystery which you are seeking to know.”
You are the love you first sought, whether conscious of it or not. Your personal journey, either in this lifetime or another in the future, will bring you to this center within yourself. Traveling alone upon a solo-quest is the perfect catalyst for this grand voyage given to the human being as a birthright.
So go find yourself in solitude where the inner landscapes of personality become most audible within a world of possibility.
5 Reasons To Travel When You're Young
In my opinion, it's better to travel sooner than later in life for a few very key reasons:
It's also especially useful in helping people realize that there's no one way to live a lifetime. Every culture is different and so is every person within those cultures. If you wait till later in life, you run the risk of realizing your potential too late. Don't let opportunity pass you by; explore the world while you're young.
- You work hard and deserve it: Life can be crazy these days. With the overload of gadgets, work hours and social networking demands, it's no wonder we haven't broken down as a nation, cracking from all the pressure. Today's youth works harder than ever to achieve more than ever, and there's no better way to reward ourselves and take time out than with a good old vacation.
I'm sure that one of the main reasons that a young adult would refrain from traveling is lack of funds or overwhelming feelings of not knowing where to start. Traveling doesn't have to be expensive or overwhelming for you to have a great time. There are some affordable deals out there for just about every trip you can imagine; it's all about timing and planning.Remember, all that hard work is done in vain if there isn't an equal dose of play to go with it. You don't want to look back in 15 years and realize you wasted you're younger years doing nothing but work, right? So save that hard earned cash and go somewhere you've only dared to dream about- today. Turn fantasy into reality and give yourself a pat on the back. You deserve it!
1. Break out of your shell
Foremost on the reasons to travel is that you discover a lot about yourself. Now I'm not talking about taking a family trip to Disney World. When I speak of a special vacation, I envision someone backpacking across Europe or driving along the coast of Australia -- that is, a trip with cultural significance. Not many things in the world can inspire you like seeing the Colosseum in Rome or the Pyramids in Egypt.That is why traveling is known to provide people with a whole new perspective, whether that means no longer sweating the small stuff or promising to get out there and meet new people upon returning home. Those who have left their comfort zone and headed for a foreign land have done the right thing; there is nothing like a trip to make you a new man who has no choice but to fend for himself. Whether alone, with a partner, or in a group, your development surely speeds up when you're abroad.
2. Embrace new cultures
Not only does traveling provide a sense of adventure, but it also opens doors to cultures that do not revolve around MTV and McDonald's (or at least try hard not to). Though Americana has spread its wings on an international level, even a week abroad can serve to prove that people do live without the symbols that North Americans encounter every day.Better yet, you will become appreciative of other cultures; instead of instinctively criticizing that which is "different," you will be motivated to accept new cuisine or alternative forms of entertainment. You never know; upon your return home, you might even forego the latest Vin Diesel blockbuster for a Bollywood flick.
3. Enjoy life like never before
Even for those of you who are not as culturally minded, traveling remains an appealing form of escape. In the dead of winter, with a foot of snow awaiting you outside your front door, what could be more tantalizing than a swim in the deep blue waters of Jamaica? Simply the attraction of the activities that are impossible to enjoy in your hometown make a trip worthwhile.Experiences can range from the legendary (watching the running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain) to the relaxing (enjoying a hot spring while snow swirls around you in Iceland), but they share one common link: they are all memorable. In every corner of the world, there is excitement waiting for you -- it is simply a matter of sticking your head out and going for it.